The Engineer's Blog

Energy efficient, personalized, smart - in need of extensive maintenance? Engineers in machine design are faced with increased demands. How do they meet them? What kind of solutions evolve in different industries? How is it possible to enforce innovation internally? Have a read on this and more in our blog.

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What started almost a century ago as buffer between railway cars has now become a universally applicable damping element for almost all industry sectors – also as a protective element against potential damages to buildings and industrial facilities caused by earthquakes.

When it comes to automated warehouses, precision is key. Hundreds of shuttles and miles of conveyors must all work together to ensure products are transported successfully to their designated location for storage or delivery. Of all the components that play a role in the precision of these systems, do not forget about Couplings and Locking Devices – both of which are widely used in this application.

If buildings are shaken by earthquakes this can lead to cracks, instabilities in the support structure and in worst case szenarios to the collapse of the building. To efficiently absorb the enormous forces and thereby protect both, person and material, nowadays sophisticated technologies are available.

Not all damages that a great earthquake will cause can be avoided. However, with Friction Springs there is a very high probability, that the building withstands an earthquake – like those in Christchurch/NZ in 2010 and 2011 – and is still operational and habitable.

In a previous article we covered friction springs and their applications. This time we would like to explain the technical properties of a friction spring, how it works and why its features provide a variety of advantages compared to other damping systems.

Gas turbines are available in many different designs and the power output of the individual models varies considerably – from 200 kW to more than 400 MW. The performance of gas turbines for industrial applications typically ranges from 5 to 40 MW. Dependent on the power, the speeds vary from 3,000 rpm to 15,000 rpm. Please see below which couplings are typically used and which are the selection criteria.

Friction springs are indispensible safety components in all fields of technology where suddenly occurring forces have to be taken up and kinetic energy absorbed, or where springs are required with relatively compact dimensions while also being able to sustain high forces. Expert friction springs are needed when it comes to the deceleration of moving masses in a quick, safe and precise manner.

Operators of cement plants worldwide face the challenge to create their systems more efficient and reliable. Even though the production and consumption of this material is quite stable in Europe, there is a continuously growing demand in Africa, North America and Asia. For this reason, production needs to be optimized and therefore all components which are part of the drive to guarantee constant operation, minimal downtimes and low maintenance costs.

Couplings are not the most critical part of plants but they have to meet continuously changing requirements. Being reliable, efficient and robust is no longer enough – they should be easy to maintain in order to reduce costs and to avoid downtime. So for choosing the right coupling its characteristics in regard to maintenance and repair are playing a more important role.

"The challenge to develop a highly flexible coupling is to design a coupling which has a particularly soft characteristic curve", explains Norbert Telaar, Head of Strategic Product Management at RINGFEDER POWER TRANSMISSION, the main task of his team. In the end they developed an innovation in coupling design.

The amendment to the obligatory certification within the medium voltage guideline in 2013 catapulted combined heat and power units into a new league: they are now also in charge of stabilizing the dynamic German power supply network. This provides excellent opportunities for the technology, but it also means new obligations.

About Us

RINGFEDER POWER TRANSMISSION stands for quality products, superior technical know-how and quick delivery service in drive and damping technology. Located in Germany, the Czech Republic, USA, India, China und Brazil we deliver innovative solutions that meet highest demands in many market segments around the world. Learn more about us and our products!